Relativistic air-plasma far-infrared radiation effects by ultrashort laser pulses in air

Abstract

Interactions of ultrashort laser pulses with gases have a wide variety of applications including lighting control, electromagnetic radiation and remote sensing. Considering the radiation effects, the ionization process, plasma formation and the current produced due to the formed plasmas, are the important fundamental processes. Here, a 2D relativistic fluid model is presented in which the interaction of an ultrashort laser pulse with air, leading to the electromagnetic pulse generation, is investigated. As the model is relativistic, it is appropriate for the investigation of the air-plasma radiation effects at high intensities. The results show that the intense laser-air interaction is suitable for the intense broadband far-infrared pulse generation due to the fact that the wave amplitude increases with the laser intensity. Moreover, for the laser intensities above 1020 W/m2, the laser pulse magnetic field gives rise to a strong axial electron current and a consequent axial wave component, which has to be accounted for in the proposed physical models. In addition, the Fourier transform analysis reveals that the radiated pulse is broadband and its frequency spectrum is not affected by the laser intensity.